Window construction



March 17, 1959 J. H. MEARS, JR

WINDOW CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 1'7, 1956 ll $3431IIIIII/ I IN VENTOR JbfilI/IZ ATTORNEYS J. H. MEARS, JR WINDOWCONSTRUCTION March 17, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 17, 1956INVENTOR 6W1): 1:

Jaw/Z ATTORNEYS struction embodying the present invention,

United States Patent Ofitic 2,877,514 WINDOW CONSTRUCTION John H. Mears,Jr., 'Catonsville, Md. Application December 17, 1956, Serial No. 628,7154 Claims. (Cl. 52.2)

The present invention relates in general to window constructions andmore particularly to combined sash balance and Weatherstrip units andjamb liners for use therewith.

An object of the present invention is the provision of novel means forobtaining a substantially weather tight connection between a windowcasing and sash slidably mounted therein and for counterbalancing thesash in a manner obviating the necessity of using sash weights and thelike.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novelcombined sash balance and Weatherstrip unit for windows wherein the coilspring and other parts are effectively housed so as to protect thecomponents from the weather and produce a structure having a neatappearance free from suggestions of complicated mechanical constructionwhich readily accommodates itself to changes in the sash due to climaticvariations.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novelcombined sash balance and Weatherstrip unit for windows wherein the sashcan be readily inserted into position in and removed from windowopenings without necessitating the removal of any components of thewindow frame structure.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novelcombined sash balance and Weatherstrip unit for windows wherein theunits may be installed in the window openings to substantially completethe windows at an early stage during construction of buildings and thesash readily installed at a later stage when the buildings are ready forfinish.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novelcombined sash balance and Weatherstrip unit of the type relying upon anadjustable coil spring for sash balancing functions, wherein means areprovided for selectively decoupling the coil springs from the sash andsupporting the same on the Weatherstrip jamb members to facilitateremoval of the sash from the window opening.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novelwindow opening liner structure which is readily convertible to makestandard window opening jambs or jambs adaptable for combined sashbalance and weatherstrip units.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following detail description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings showing one preferredembodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a window conwith parts brokenaway to reveal details of the sash balance and Weatherstrip structure;

Figure 2 is a vertical section view taken along the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken along the line 3'3 of Figure 1;

inner liner 16 of unique construction 2,877,514 Patented Mar. 17, 19519Figure 4 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of one jamb of thecombined sash balance and weatherstrip unit of the present invention;

Figure 5 is a horizontal section view of the window frame componentsarranged to produce a standard jamb, and

Figure 6 is a section view similar to Figure 3, showing the sash inprocess of being inserted into the window opening.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designatecorresponding parts throughout the several figures, the presentinvention is shown in its relation to a window construction comprising awindow frame or casing 10 of the type having upper and lower sashes 11and 12. In accordance with conventional practice, the sashes 11 and 12are supported in the frame 10 for sliding movement in parallel planesspaced laterally from each other a sufficient distance to permit the twosashes to slide past each other.

In the preferred embodiment, the sides of the window frame 10 are formedin a novel manner so that the same may be readily modified to formeither a standard window jamb or a window jamb particularly suited foruse with my novel combined sash balance and Weatherstrip unit. To thisend, the side members of the window frame 10 are formed of side panelsor pulley stiles 13 to the outer edges of which are secured outervertical stops 14 by tongue and groove joints or the like. In accordancewith conventional practice, molding or trim strips 15 are secured to theouter surfaces of the outer vertical stops 14 in partially overlappingrelation. The inner edges of the pulley stile 13 are specially adaptedto receive an which may serve either as inner vertical stops or asextensions of the pulley stile 13. The inner edge of each pulley stile13 is specially shaped to cooperate with its associated inner liner 16by providing a rabbet 17 extending forwardly from the rearmost corner ofthe edge of the pulley stile 13 for half the width of the pulley stile13 leaving a projection 18 which is complementary to the rabbet 17 inoverall cross section. The laterally facing edge of the projection 18 isprovided with a medial vertical groove 19. The facing surface of theassociated inner liner 16 is formed complementary to the adjacentsurface of the pulley stile 13, and is provided with a rabbet 20 havinga tongue 21 to be received in the groove 19 of the side plate member 13,and a projection 22 which is complementary to the rabbet 17. As will beseen from an inspection of Figure 3, the inner liner 16 may beinterfitted with the pulley stile 13 of the window frame so that theinner liner 16 serves as an inner stop by interfitting the tongue 21projecting from the rabbet 20 into the groove 19 in the projection 18with the projection 22 extending inwardly from the inner surface of thepulley stile 13, whereby the surface of the projection 22 cooperateswith the outer stop 14 to form a channel-shaped recess 23 there'between.

If it is desired to assemble the window frame components to produce astandard jamb, the inner liner 16 should be inverted relative to itsFigure 3 position so that the projection 22 of the liner 16 interfitswith the rabbet 17 of the pulley stile 13 when the tongue 21 is insertedin the groove 19 to dispose the inner liner 16 in coplanar relation withthe pulley stile 13 to form an extension thereof, as illustrated inFigure 5.

The combined sash balance and Weatherstrip unit of the present inventionis indicated generally by the reference character 24 and comprises asheet metal jamb member 25 for each side of the window frame 10 which isdesigned to be mounted by nails, screws or other conventional securingmeans on the pulley stiles 13 of the window frame. Each of the sheetmetal jambs 25 of the combined sash balance and weathership unit 24 areshaped to provide marginal flanges 26 positioned to projectperpendicularly from the inner surface of the pulley stiles l3 and anintermediate parting stop 27 arranged to form parallel vertical channels28 and 29 therebetween for the sashes 11 and 12. The base walls or webs30 of the channels 23 and 29 converge from the marginal flanges 26toward the parting stop 27 inwardly of the window frame and away fromthe pulley stiles 13. The portions of the channel webs 30 adjacent theparting stop 27 are shaped to provide rectangular formations 31 havingfiat, vertically extending surfaces 32 projecting oppositely from theintermediate parting stops 27 and lying in slightly inclined planesconverging inwardly of the frame toward the medial axis of the partingstop 27 to serve as guide surfaces for the edges of the sashes 11, 12.The intermediate parting stop 27 is of modified rectangular form havingside walls 33 which diverge in a direction extending inwardly of thewindow frame It and the surface 34 of the parting stop 27 connecting thediverging side walls 33 are provided with a plurality of verticallyextending reinforcing beads 34'. Vertical beads 35 project inwardly fromthe channel webs 3b to form guides for the counterbalance springs 36.

The counterbalance springs 36 are of the coil spring type, preferablyhaving a double loop 36 at the upper end thereof and a single loop 56 atthe lower end thereof. A plurality of spring tension adjustingformations 37 are provided in the upper portions of the channel webs 30in each channel 28, 29 and correspond generally to the counterbalancespring tension adjusting means disclosed in my earlier Patent No.2,722,723, issued November 8, 1955. These counterbalance spring tensionadjusting means 37 comprise a plurality of inverted U-shaped cuts 38stamped in the channel webs 30 and spaced vertically a selected distanceof approximately one inch apart so that the metal within the area of thecut may be bent rearwardly about an axis extending between the lowerends of the legs of the inverted U-shaped cuts 33. The bent metalportions forming tabs 39 which are to be bent into underlying relationwith the channel webs 3t) and form a reinforced edge 46 over which thedouble loop 36' at the upper end of the counterbalance spring 36 may behooked to serve as an anchor for the upper end of the counterbalancespring. The cuts 38 are of greater vertical dimension than the diameterof the loop 36 and are of smaller width than this diameter to serve toretain the loops 36' seated in the openings formed by the cuts untilthey are manually withdrawn therefrom. By this arrangement, the tensionof a length of counterbalance spring, which is properly designed for theheight of the sashes l1, 12, may be adjusted by selection of the properadjusting formation to properly counterbalance various weights of sashfor a wide range of standard sash widths, thereby obviating thenecessity of stocking a large number of counterbalance springs ofdifferent tension characteristics for each sash weight.

Sheet metal jamb cover members 41 are provided for each of the sheetmetal jambs 25 to be removably secured to the sheet metal jambs 25 andoverlie the full length of each jamb 25. These jamb covers 41 areprovided with rectangular raised portions 42 which are substantiallycomplementary to the intermediate parting stops 27 of the jambs 25 andcomprise a pair of side walls 43 which diverge in a direction extendinginwardly of the window frame and a connecting wall 44 having verticalreinforcing beads d therein, the raise portions 42 being adapted to beresiliently snapped into overlying clamping relation with theintermediate parting stops 27. Oppositely projecting flanges 46 projectfrom the edges of the side walls 43 in a plane parallel to the plane ofthe connecting wall 44 and parallel to the planes of the pulley stiles13 and terminate in large semi-cylindrical spring housing formations 47adapted to overlie the springs 36 and present an attractive appearancein the upper regions of the jamb units .24 as well as to pro- '4 tectthe portionsrof the springs underlying the jamb covers 41 from theelements. In the preferred embodiment, felt washers 43 serving assilencers and spring spacers are mounted on the springs 36 near the topthereof to bear against the concave inner surfaces of thesemi-cylindrical spring housing formations 47.

The lower ends of the counterbalance springs 36 are each provided with aspecially designed ring member, generally indicated by the referencecharacter 50, for applying the lifting force of the counterbalancesprings 36 to the sashes Ill, 12 while rendering the sashes readilyreleasable from effective coupling of the springs with the sashes tofacilitate ready removal of the sashes from the 'indow opening. The ringmembers 59 are each substantially in the shape of an interruptedsemicircle having a first or inner leg portion 51 adapted to be insertedbetween the cover member 41 and the jambs 25 and a substantiallysemi-circular arcuate second or outer leg portion 52 adapted to extendentirely around the exposed surfaces of the semi-cylindrical springhousing formations 47 with the curvature of the arcuate leg 52conforming very nearly to the curvature of the exposed surfaces offormations 47. The medial region of the straight leg 51 is provided witha notch 53 in the edge thereof remote from the arcuate leg 52 and asemi-circular projection 54 extending toward the leg 52 shaped tocomplement substantially the inner surface of the semi-cylindricalspring housing formation 47. The midpoint of the curved surface of theprojection 54 is also notched, as indicated at 55, to an appropriatedepth such that the opposite sides of the lower loop 55 of one of thecounterbalance springs 36 will frictionally seat in the notches 55 and53 when the projection 54 on leg 51 is inserted into substantiallycentered relation with the loop 56 to frictionally anchor the ring 50 tothe loop 56. The free end 57 of the leg 51 is substantially wedge-shapedto conform to the shape of the space between the surfaces 32 of the jambflanking the parting stop 27 and the flanges 46 of the jamb covers 41into which the end 5'7 projects.

The arcuate legs 52 of the rings 5%) are deformed along the medialregions thereof to provide elongated wedgeshaped formations 58 havingstraight edges forming chords of the arcs defined by the legs 52 andextending transversely of the axes of the housing formation 47. Thesewedge-shaped formations 58 are adapted to be projected into transverseslots 59 in the semi-cylindrical housing formations 47 of the jambcovers 41 located near the bottom of the covers for frictionally holdingthe counterbalance springs 36 in extended position when it is desired toremove the sashes 11, 12 from the window opening. The slots 59 on theleft jamb cover, as viewed in Figure l, are preferably spaced aboutthree inches from the bottom of the cover and the slots 59 on the rightjamb cover are spaced about five inches from the bottom. The ring member50 rotates in a clockwise direction to a sufficient degree about theaxis of the leg 51 and the spring loop 56 when the edge of thewedge-shaped forma tion 58 is projected into the slot 59 to bring thecurved surface of the semi-circular projection 54 into abutment with thehidden surface of the cover formation 47 and is resiliently restrainedin such abutting relation by the spring 36 to maintain the edge of theformation 58 seated in the slot 59 until manually released therefrom.

The combined sash balance and Weatherstrip unit 24 of the presentinvention is preferably assembled in the factory. A felt washer 48 isinserted over the bottom end of one of the counterbalance springs 36 andslipped approximately three-quarters of the way to the top of thespring, and the leg 51 of one of the ring members 50 is then projectedthrough the lower single loop 56 of the spring 36 until the loop isseated in the notches 53, 55. Two counterbalance springs 36 must beprepared in this manner for assembly to each jamb unit 24. The bendabletab 39 in each of the channels 28, 29 which are at an appropriate heightfor the particular width and weight of sashes 11, 12 to be associatedwith the unit, is pressed rearwardly from the web 30 of the sheet metaljamb 35 until they overlie the rear surface of the channel webs 30,thereby providing rectangular openings for anchoring of the upper endsof the counterbalance springs 36. A jamb cover member 41 is thenfrictionally assembled with a sheet metal jamb 25 by snapping therectangular raised portion 42 of the jamb cover 41 over thecomplementary parting stop 27. The semi-circular projections 54 on thelegs 51 of the ring members 50 assembled to the lower ends of thecounterbalance springs 36 are then lowered into the semi-cylindricalspace provided between the spring housing formations 47 of the jambcover 41-. The assembled ring members 50 and counterbalance springs 36are then lowered along the spring housing formations 47 until the upperdouble loops 36 of the counterbalance springs are aligned with therectangular openings afforded by the rearwardly bent tabs 39 and theloops 36 are inserted through such openings and frictionally hung overthe reinforced edges 40. When the top of the jamb cover 41 is positionedflush with the top of its associated sheet metal jamb 25, the top endportions of the raised wall 44 and its underlying portion of the jambparting stop 27 should either be clamped rearwardly and downwardly withpliers or like tools to restrain these members against relative movementprior to shipment from the factory, or these members should be securedagainst relative movement during installation on the job by driving anail through them into the window frame.

The jamb assemblies are installed in the window frame on the job bypositioning an assembled unit 24 over the pulley stiles 13, assembled inthe manner illustrated in Figure 3, at each side of the window openingand nailing or screwing the assembled units 24 to the pulley stiles 13.The nails or screws are positioned as close to the side flanges 26 aspossible so that the surfaces 32 adjacent the parting stops 27 areprojected outwardly from the surface of the pulley stiles tosubstantially the plane of the inwardly projected surfaces of the stops14, 16. The ring members 56 should then be drawn downwardly along thespring housing formations 47 until the wedge-shaped formations 58 arealigned with the slots 59 and the ring members 50 are then shifted aboutthe axes of their legs 51 to project the formations 58 into the slots 59and restrain the springs 36 in extended position. The sashes 11, 12 canthen be inserted into channels 28, 29 by shifting the sash edgewise intocontact with the medial portions of the jamb units 24 and pressing suchportions of the jamb units toward their associated pulley stiles 13until the other lateral edge of the sash can be shifted past the innerstop 16 at the opposite side of the window opening in the mannerillustrated in Figure 6. At the same time, parting stop portion of theopposite jamb unit 24 should be pressed toward its associated pulleystile with the fingers so as to permit the free lateral edge of the sashto be forced past the spring housing formation or formations 47 untilthe appropriate spring housing formation 47 is seated in the plow 60 ofthe sash. The sashes are then run down the channels until the lowercorners of the sashes engage and release the ring members 50 from theirfrictional restraint in the slots 59, whereupon the springs 36 thenapply their counterbalancing force to the sashes 11, 12 and the sashesmay be manipulated in the conventional manner.

If, after the sashes are in place they work too freely, additionaltension to effect counterbalancing and resilient retention of the sashesat their adjusted positions intermediate the sill and lintel may beapplied by pressing the side flanges toward the sashes in the uppermostand lowermost regions of the jambs 25.

With this construction, the sashes may be readily removed at any timefrom the window frame by raising the sashes to an intermediate level,manually forcing the ring members downwardly along the spring housingformation 47 until they are frictionally coupled with the slots 59, andshifting the sash toward one side of the window opening to deform thejamb units 24 so as to permit removal of the sashes by a reversal of theprocedure adopted in fitting the sashes into the window opening.

While only one preferred embodiment of the inven tion has beenparticularly shown and described, it is ap parent that othermodifications may be made in the invention without departing from thespirit and scope thereof, and it is desired, therefore, that only suchlimtations shall be placed thereon as are set forth in the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A Weatherstrip and sash balance unit for the sliding sash of a windowcasing including opposed jamb assemblies comprising an elongated sheetmetal jamb member having side flanges adapted to project inwardly of thecasing from the opposite lateral edges of said jamb, a pair of laterallyspaced sash-receiving channels in said jamb extending toward the medialaxis of said jamb from said side flanges and terminating inwardly in anintermediate parting stop connecting said channels, the webs of each ofsaid channels being inclined from said side flanges in a direction toextend inwardly of the casing to dispose the portions of said channelwebs adjacent said parting stop substantially in alignment with the freeedges of said side flanges, an elongated counterbalance spring extendingvertically along each of said channels adjacent the channel web, aplurality of vertically spaced means struck in said channel websadjacent the upper ends thereof for supporting the upper ends of saidcounterbalance springs, said vertically spaced means in each ofsaidchannels being spaced to adjust the tension of said counterbalancesprings to counterbalance different preselected weights of sash,distorted ring members carried by the lower ends of said counterbalancesprings each having a shoulder portion projecting from said channels forlifting engagement with the lower edge of the sash adjacent the lowercorners thereof to removably couple the lower ends of saidcounterbalance springs to the sash, and said jamb members having meansadjacent the lower ends thereof cooperating with said ring members forremovably holding said ring members adjacent the lower ends of theirrespective channels in uncoupled relation with the sash.

2. A Weatherstrip and sash balance unit for the sliding sash of a windowcasing including opposed jamb assemblies comprising an elongated sheetmetal jamb memher having side flanges adapted to project inwardly of thecasing from the opposite lateral edges of said jamb, a pair of laterallyspaced sash-receiving channels in said jamb extending toward the medialaxis of said jamb from said side flanges and terminating inwardly in anintermediateparting stop connecting said channels, the webs of each ofsaid channels being inclined from said side flanges in a direction toextend inwardly of the casing to dispose the portions of said channelwebs adjacent said parting stop substantially in alignment with the freeedges of said side flanges, an elongated counterbalance spring extendingvertically along'each of said channels adjacent the channel webs, aplurality of vertically spaced means struck in said channel websadjacent the upper ends thereof for supporting the upper ends of saidcounterbalance springs, said vertically spaced means in each of saidchannels being spaced to adjust the tension of said counterbalancesprings to counterbalance different preselected weights of sash, sheetmetal spring cover members for each jamb member, said cover memberincluding an intermediate vertical formation complementary in crosssection to said parting stop adapted to be snapped into overlyingfrictional clamping relation with said parting stop and flange portionsprojecting laterally in opposite directions from said formation andterminating in parallel vertical convex formations curving away from thejamb members to be disposed in covering relation with the counterbalancesprings, and sash carrier members for releasably supporting the sashfrom said counter- 'balance springs, said sash carrier members beingconnected to the lower ends of said counterbalance springs and eachhaving a shoulder portion projecting inwardly of the frame from theconvex formations and adapted to bear against the lower edge of the sashcorners in lifting relation therewith, and means for releasablyrestraining Said sash carrier members at the lower end of the jambmember in uncoupled relation with said sash.

3. A Weatherstrip and sash balance unit for the sliding sash of a windowcasing including opposed jamb assemblies comprising an elongated sheetmetal jamb men ber having an integral vertical parting stop locatedmedially in each of said jamb members and web portions extendingoppositely from said parting stop forming a pair of laterally spacedsash-run tracks, said web portions being inclined along vertical planesdiverging rearwardly from said parting stops to space the adjacentmargins of said web portions contiguous to said parting stops fromopposite margins of said web portions a distance corre spondingsubstantially to inward projection of the upper and outer stops of awindow casing and permit insertion and withdrawal of the sash into andfrom said sash-run tracks, an elongated counterbalance spring extendingvertically along each of said channels adjacent the channel web, aplurality of vertically spaced means struck in said channel websadjacent the upper ends thereof for supporting the upper ends of saidcounterbalance springs, sheet metal spring cover members for each jarnbmember, said cover members each including an intermediate verticalraised formation complementary in cross-section to said parting stopsadapted to be snapped into overlying frictional clamping relation withsaid parting stops and flange portions projecting laterally in oppositedirections from said raised formation and terminating in parallelvertical convex formation arranged to curve a ray from the jamb membersto be disposed in covering relation with the counterbalance springs, andsash carrier members for releasably supporting the sash from saidcounterbalance springs, said sash carrier members each having a firstleg portion substantially complementary to the cross section of thespace between a flange portion and convex formation of said spring covermembers and the jamb member web portions adjacent thereto and secured tothe lower end of one of said counterbalance springs to run in said spaceand a second leg portion curving in conforming overlying relation to oneof said convex formations forming a shoulder for lifting engagement withthe lower edges of the sash corners, and coactive means on said sashcarrier members and said convex formations for releasably restrainingsaid sash carrier members adjacent the lower ends of said jamb memberswith said sash carrier members in uncoupled relation with the sash.

4. A Weatherstrip and sash balance unit for the sliding sash of a windowcasing including opposed jamb assemblies comprising an elongated sheetmetal janrb member having side flanges adapted to project inwardly ofthe casing from the opposite lateral edges of said jarnb,

a pair of laterally spaced sash-receiving channels in said jambextending toward the medial axis of said jamb from said side flanges andterminating inwardly in an intermediate parting stop connecting saidchannels, the webs of each of said channels being inclined from saidside flanges in a direction to extend inwardly of the casing to disposethe portions of said channel webs adjacent said parting stopsubstantially in alignment with the free edges of said side flanges, anelongated counterbalance spring extending vertically along each of saidchannels adjacent the channel web, a plurality of vertically spacedmeans struck in said channel webs adjacent the upper ends thereof forsupporting the upper ends of said counterbalance springs, saidvertically spaced means in each of said channels being spaced to adjustthe tension of said counterbalance springs to counterbalance differentareselected weights of sash, sheet metal spring cover members for eachjamb member coextensive in length with the jamb members, said covermembers each including an intermediate vertical raised formationcomplementary in cross section to said. parting stops adapted to besnapped into overlying frictional clamping relation with said partingstops and flange portions projecting laterally in opposite directionsfrom said raised formation and terminating in parallel vertical convexformations arranged to curve away from the jamb members to be disposedin covering relation with the counterbalance springs, and sash carriermembers for releasably supporting the sash from said counterbalancesprings, said sash carrier members each having a first leg portionsubstantially complerncntary to the cross section of the space between aflange portion and convex formation of said spring cover members and thejamb member web portions adjacent thereto and secured to the lower endof one of said counterbalance springs to run in said space and a secondleg portion curving in conforming overlying relation to one of saidconvex formations forming a shoulder for lifting engagement with thelower edges of the sash corners, said convex formations of said covermembers having transverse slots in the inwardly projecting reachesthereof and said curved second leg portions of said sash carrier membershaving wedge-shaped portions projecting toward said cover members fromthe midregions thereof adapted to be seated in said slots and restrainedby coaction of said sash carrier members with said cover members inseated relation with said slots and in uncoupled relation with the sash.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

